Amalgamating apparatus for extracting gold



A (No Model.) A

T. PILKINGTON.

AMALGAMATING APPARATUS FOR EXTRAGTING GOLD.

N0. 546,079. Patented Sept. 10,1895.

II II I '-|--,'m T, b 2 b k E 2% E E I} I I I: Q l 4 l iZV AN DREW 5.6RAHAM. PHOTO-UTHQWASMINGTDNJL.

THOMAS PILKINGTON, OF SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA.

AMALGAMATING APPARATUS FOR EXTRAGTING GOLD.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters PatentNo. 546,079, dated September 10, 1895.

Application filed December 20, 1894. Serial No. 532.4:76. (No model.)

surfaces, to which the goldand quicksilver,

or amalgam, will adhere by the affinity of the metals.

My improvements consist in disposing the silvered surfaces in the form of a revolubl'e open-ended cylinder that can be set immedi-f ately in front of a stampbattery, lined on its interior with silvered plates, and provided with baffling or agitating vanes that keep the pulp continously in contact with the plates, and in devices to operate and otherwise apply the invention, as hereinafter pointed out and explained. 3

The objects of my invention are to provide a large amount of plate surface in a small space near the crushing machinery; to thoroughly diffuse and flow the pulp over the plates, repeatedly if required; to have the plates easily accessible and in View at all times, and to provide fortheeasy interchange of plates by substituting the revoluble cylinders, so that one can be cleaned when another isin use.

I am aware that rotary amalgamatingmachines of many kinds have been made and used for the extraction of gold, and that such rotary machines have been provided with cylinders lined with silver-plated surfaces; but such machines, so far as I am aware, have not embodied operating advantages or permitted ready handling, cleaning, and other conveniences required in gold-milling processes, and it is to these objects my invention is especially directed, as will now be explained in connection with the'drawings, in which- Figure 1 is a transverse section through an amalgamatingcylinder constructed according to my invention,taken on the line mm, Fig. 2. Fig. 2 is a longitudinal section on the axis of the same cylinder, taken on the line y y of Fig. -1. Fig. 3 is adetail showing the method of mounting and holding the battling or diffusing vanes in the cylinder.

Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts.

The main cylinder consists of the heads A and A and a barrel B, made preferably of wooden staves fitting within circularledges or flanges O, the whole being clamped together by through-bolts D, as seen in Fig. 2. At the ends of the barrel B are placed elastic packing-ringsE, so as to form water-tight joints in the corners of the cylinder.

On the head A is formed a circular spout G, from which the waste material can be discharged into a trough F, to be from there conveyed to a wasteway or a receptacle for further treatment.

Pulp, or ore and water is fed to the cylinder 7 through a spout H, or in any other suitable manner through the head A the opening in which is made smaller than the diameter of the circular discharge-spouts G, as shown in Fig. 2.

Around the interior of the barrel B. is placed a plate or lining I, preferably-of sheet copper, the surface of which is polished and prepared by silvering to attract and retain particles of gold or amalgam that are separated. from the pulp J being treated.

Parallel to the axis of the cylinder and diagonal to its radius are fixed a series of vanes or fiat plates L,that fit at their ends into seats formed by shallow ledges M on the interior of the heads A A as shown in Figs. 1 and 3. These vanes L are held by cams N, operated by stems O, that project through the heads A A to receive the handles P, as shown in Fig. 3. The forward or impelling sides of these plates L are also polished and silvered to catch fine gold that comesin contact therewith and is not deposited on the outer or main plate I.

The cylinder 1 mount on rollers Q Q, having grooves in which the rims of the ends A A fit, as seen inFig. 2, leaving the cylinder free to be removed or rolled off and substituted with another one when its amalgamating surfaces are sufficiently charged.

The rollers Q are mounted on shafts R provided with suitable bearings, the ends projecting at S to be connected in any suitable manner to the driving-power.

The operation is as follows: The cylinder is set in slow rotation, by means of the shafts R and rollers Q, in the direction indicated by the arrow in Fig. 1. Pulp is then run in through the spout H and assumes approximately the form shown at J, Fig. 1, the vanes L directing the pulp outward and causing it to rise, impinge, and be diffused over the surface of the plate I or over the interior of the cylinder, the forward surfaces of the plates L also being exposed to and washed by the pulp J, which slowly makes its way to the other end of the cylinder and is discharged over the spout G. When the interior I of the cylinder and the forward faces of the vanes L are sufficiently charged, or at the end of a predetermined time, the flow of pulp in the spout H is shut off, and the cylinder is rolled out of its seat and replaced by another one that has been cleaned, or the collected gold and amalgam removed therefrom. The plates L are then removed, their surfaces and also the main plate I are scraped or cleaned, and the cylinder is again ready to be rolled into place, as before. In this manner it will be seen that the amalgamatin g surfaces or plates, collectively, can be set close to the pulverizing machinery, have a large effective area within a small space, and be seen and inspected as the process goes on; also, that the cylinders and platesurfaces can be almost instantly removed without detention for cleaning, renewal, or substitution.

Having thus described the nature and object of my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. In gold-extracting apparatus, a rotary open-ended amalgamating cylinder, in the manner described, its interior lined with plates and provided with a series of removable vanes, set diagonally to the face of the plates and at some distance therefrom, the main cylinder open at its ends to permit access and observation while the process is g0- ing on, in the manner substantially as described.

2. In gold-extracting apparatus, a rotary amalgamating cylinder lined with and containing plates for the deposit of amalgam or gold, its ends formed of annular rings or plates, and its barrel of staves held by through bolts, so the whole can be separated or assembled to facilitate cleaning or repairing, and the removable vanes or plates set diagonally to the face of the lining plates and away therefrom, in the manner substantially as described.

3. In gold-extracting apparatus, a revoluble amalgamating cylinder lined on its interior side with a continuous catch plate or plates, in the manner described; a series of removable vanes or plates set parallel to the axis, and oblique to the radius of the cylinder and away from the catch plates, so as to cause the contained pulp to be directed toward the plates and to pass between these and the vanes to secure impingement upon and constant action of the plates, substantially as described.

4. In gold-extracting apparatus, a revoluble amalgamating cylinder mounted on and impelled by friction rollers, in the manner described, its interior lined with a plate or plates, and a series of parallel plates fixed therein,

the latter held by cams, and removable by means of handles on the outside of the cylinder, substantially as described.

5. In gold-extractingapparatus, a revoluble amalgamating cylinder mounted and revolved by rollers, in the manner described; annular ends held by through bolts, and one end formed with a discharge nozzle or spout; a series of removable baffling or diffusing plates set clear of the plates and held by an adjusting device operated from the exterior of the cylinder, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto affixed my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

THOMAS PILKINGTON. Witnesses:

ALFRED A. ENQUIST, WILSON D. BENT, Jr. 

